As an expansion team
Vladimir Sobotka Jersey Womens , the Vegas Golden Knights have defied all sorts of odds.Long shots to even make the playoffs seven months ago, they are a
favorite to hoist the Stanley Cup in June. Behind the stellar play of goaltender
Marc-Andre Fleury, the Golden Knights completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Kings
to move into the second round against San Jose.That puts the Golden Knights in
some rare company as they became the first expansion team in NHL history to
sweep a series in their inaugural season . The Pittsburgh Penguins recorded a
sweep in their first playoffs appearance in 1970, which was their third season
in the NHL. Not to be overlooked are the St. Louis Blues, who made three
straight Stanley Cup finals beginning in 1967-68 after the league expanded and
threw all the new teams into the same division. The Florida Panthers also had
early success, going to the 1996 Finals three years after entering the
league.”We’re just trying to be as good as we can be,” Vegas general manager
George McPhee said. ”No one knows what exactly is going to happen. We think
we’re a pretty good club, but we’ll keep trying to do what we’re doing and see
where it takes us.”After a few days off, the crew gets back to work with the
Sharks looming.Asked if the down time was good for his squad
Carter Hutton Jersey Womens , McPhee responded: ”This is not like the bye week where they have five days off and they’re not skating or they’re not
training. We’re not going to Mexico.”A look at a few of the expansion/charter
teams that found success early:CAROLINA PANTHERS & JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARSCarolina went 7-9 in its inaugural season in 1995 with Kerry Collins
leading the way. The Panthers made it to the NFC championship game one season
later, losing 30-13 to Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Jacksonville
followed a similar path. The Jaguars went 4-12 in `95 and then caught fire and
made it to the AFC championship game the next season behind QB Mark Brunell,
before a 20-6 loss to New England.MILWAUKEE BUCKSOK, their first season wasn’t
all that dazzling at 27-55 in 1968-69. But then the Bucks drafted a center named
Lew Alcindor – now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – with the No. 1 pick. In
1970-71, the Bucks captured an NBA title by sweeping the Baltimore Bullets.
Oscar Robertson wasn’t too bad for Milwaukee, either.ARIZONA
DIAMONDBACKSStarting in 1998, the Diamondbacks got off to a 65-97 mark. Three
seasons later, with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling leading the rotation, they
were World Series champions. Arizona beat the New York Yankees in Game
7
Chris Kunitz Jersey Womens , with Luis Gonzalez bringing home the winning run with a single off closer Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the ninth
inning.D.C. UNITEDThe Major League Soccer team was the best of the best in the
charter league. The squad captured three of the first four MLS Cups – 1996, ’97
and ’98. Their first coach was Bruce Arena.PHILADELPHIA/BALTIMORE STARSDonald J.
Trump owned the New Jersey Generals in the fledgling USFL, which ran from
1983-85, but the Stars ruled. The Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars reached the
championship game all three years, winning the title twice. They lost to the
Michigan Panthers in the 1983 championship game, then beat the Arizona Wranglers
to cap the 1983-84 season. After relocating to Baltimore, the Stars beat the
Oakland Invaders for their second straight title in the league’s last hurrah.
The team was coached by Jim Mora and their quarterback was Chuck Fusina, the
former Penn State standout who finished runner-up to Oklahoma’s Billy Sims in
the 1978 Heisman race.—AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton contributed.— The
Washington Capitals will raise their first Stanley Cup banner and open their
title defense on Oct. 3 against the Boston Bruins – not the rival Pittsburgh
Penguins.Washington did not face the Bruins during its Cup run but has beaten
them 12 consecutive times in regular-season play. The Capitals beat the Columbus
Blue Jackets, Penguins
Brandon Manning Jersey Womens , Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights for the first championship in their 43-season franchise history.After
winning the Cup in Las Vegas and enjoying a parade down Constitution Avenue in
Washington, banner night is the next chance for the Capitals to celebrate
together.”It’s gonna be emotional,” captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Alex
Ovechkin said. ”I’m just happy for this organization. I’m just happy I’m the guy
who lift the Cup first and I’m the guy who been in this 13 years, since Day One.
Lots of people been here, lots of coaches, lots of players. … I’m happy those
guys with me, and we share it together.”The Capitals will open the rival
Penguins’ season on Oct. 4 in Pittsburgh and serve as the road team in one other
home opener, at New Jersey on Oct. 11. The NHL announced home openers for all 31
teams on Wednesday and will release the full schedule on Thursday.The Capitals
were there for the Penguins’ banner-raising ceremony in 2016 after losing to
Pittsburgh in the second round. Many of the Capitals players who were there for
that and hoped it would serve as motivation now get to experience their own
night this fall.”We won on the road, so it’ll kind of turn into a celebration
for our fans again
Cam Ward Jersey Womens ,” Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen said. ”Just in our rink and stuff, watching that banner go up will be cool for
everybody involved.”The Western Conference-champion Golden Knights open their
second season on Oct. 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers. As previously
announced, the Devils will face the Edmonton Oilers in each team’s season opener
on Oct. 6 in Gothenburg, Sweden, after finishing up exhibition play in
Europe.—
